I know what you’re thinking, but no, I’m not 13 years old, and I don’t know how to do the renegade dance.
When I first heard about TikTok, I judged it right off the bat. It’s the younger generation’s obviously inferior version of Vine, so why would we ever steep to such lows?
Well, I’ll tell you why.
My sister was the one who caved first, and we spent an afternoon on her phone laughing and cackling together like we used to.
It brought me a kind of carefree happiness that’s hard to find as an adult. It felt like we had no responsibilities and all the time in the world to lay in bed and giggle.
I was surprised by the range of content on the app.
Sure, there were the lip-biting 15-year-olds making “Point of Views” of bumping into your crush at the library — Marston could never — but there was also an entire fan base for a woman explaining how autism is different in girls (@paigelayle), a banker leading tutorials on financial stability (@lisamoore3495), and an animal chiropractor cracking a baby tigers back (@joren_whitley).
TikTok has EVERYTHING.
If I need outfit ideas, I can find videos on how to dress up a pair of black jeans.
If I need relationship advice, there’s @elite.oliver, telling me I deserve more than the guy who eats leftover chips off the floor of his car.
There are creatives transforming rooms and drawing masterpieces in minutes.
All of these people, most of whom are young, have a place to show a talent that appreciates them, builds their confidence and even gives them professional opportunities when they go viral.
Even the burned-out Vine stars of 2010 have a chance for a comeback.
Also, unlike on Instagram, it’s hard to be fake.
You won’t go viral for posting a booty pic — in fact, they’ll probably take it down.
What you can get viral for is a creative edit of a cooking tutorial or successfully mastering a voice-over (or a cute dog — that always works).
So, ladies and gentlemen, say it with me: We were wrong. Good. Now go download TikTok because you’re missing out over some unfounded hatred, you old, cranky Gen-Z adult.
P.S. I feel like I should add a disclaimer that you might get addicted and also that the Chinese government might steal your TikToks.